CLASSIC MATERIAL: Carlos Maldonado
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK | CARLOS MALDONADO
INTERVIEW INNOCENT? PHOTOGRAPHY DESTINY DE LEON
VALIDATED: Being from Brooklyn, New York what’s your earliest recollection of urban fashion?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: I’m from Brooklyn NY, Fashion was all around me. Being on the block everyday was a fashion show. Anything we wore was “Urban Fashion” so I would say the late 70’s NYC street gang (outlaw) look to early 80’s B Boy look set it off for me.
VALIDATED: Can you recall when your passion for fashion began to surface?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: I feel like the early 80’s with Lee jeans, Le Tigre, or Izod Lacoste shirts, with Puma, or Adidas sneakers, Cazal frames, and gold nameplate set it off for me. Thanks to my mother who would take me with her to Queens Center Mall, and would get me something just for going with her because she was always on her flyness.
VALIDATED: What led you to start your clothing line “Classic Material”?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: It started back as an idea, and concept back in ‘08. I saw the NYC fashion game wasn’t appealing to me. I dropped a few t-shirts, and they sold out right away. A few DJ’s, and rappers would wear my stuff, so in 2010 I took it seriously.
VALIDATED: Have you had any formal education in fashion design and/or marketing or are you self taught?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: No degree, I just make what I like. Self taught, I just do what I feel.
VALIDATED: Which fashion designers influenced your style and what if anything did you “borrow” from them?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Definitely Ralph Lauren. He’s an influence because as a kid Polo was everything to us. He’s a New Yorker so you know his style is impeccable. One time when I first started Nore told me “I want you to be bigger than Ralph” I was like he’s bugging. I can’t. Looking back now I’m like wow N.O. believed in the vision more than me. I’m not saying I’m bigger than Ralph. We aren’t there yet, but I’m proud of C.M.N.Y. Everyday someone hits me about how the brand has impacted them, and how connected they are to the brand. So that being said, Ralph gives us his world, I give you mine. That’s what I borrowed from him.
VALIDATED: Which celebrities have you spotted in your clothing?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Where shall I begin? DJ Clark Kent first, and foremost. He’s family from day 1! Always shows love. Also Alicia Keys, Pos, Mase, De La Soul, Faboulos, Nore, Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Angela Yee, Crazy Legs, Micheal K Williams, Taye Diggs, Jena Ortega, Conway, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher (I made his logo), Ghostface, Raekwon, Masta Killa, Tony Touch, Louie Vega, Anais Vega, Russell Peters, AZ, Cormega, MC Serch, DJ Doo Wop, Al Skratch, DJ Khaled, Desus, Mero, G Bo the Pro, John Leguizamo, and Break Beat Lou. It’s all done out of love, and respect.
VALIDATED: Which qualities do you look for in an artist before you collaborate with them?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: I got to feel their vibe, energy, and art.
VALIDATED: Can you tell us a positive and a negative of collaborating with artists?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Yes, a positive is building a relationship with someone I admire, the negative would be when we don’t get to collab due to schedule, or the idea has faded.
VALIDATED MAGAZINE: You mentioned that you actually created Benny The Butchers logo, but what's the story behind that?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: It all started with meeting Westside Gunn via A King on the Combat Jack Show. King kept telling me back in 2016 about them, and said their music was my style. So I listened to “Fly God" and was like "Plug me in.” West, and I got on the phone for about an hour, we started building, we did our Fly God hat then I met Conway, we did a few collabs, shortly after I met Benny, I told Benny let’s do a collab and he gave me creative freedom. We dropped the hat, it became a hit, sold out right away, then it became his logo, and keeps selling.
VALIDATED: How big of an influence does Hip Hop play in your creative process?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: It’s everything. Since I was a kid I always said I would be in the game somehow, some way.
VALIDATED MAGAZINE: For those that don’t understand the culture, please explain the relationship between Hip Hop and Fashion?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: They go hand in hand. Back in the days what rappers wore is what the dudes getting money wore. So the streets inspired the rappers. I feel like B Boys started the fashion in Hip Hop with the Puma, Adidas suits with the bell Kangol, and Cazals. Then you saw rappers dressing like that, after that you see Run DMC dressed like that with their own twist to it. Fast forward to ‘84 - ’85, other brands started coming out. Nike was coming with heat, Polo, Filas, Benetton, etc. Truck jewelry Fashion went crazy. All your favorite Hip Hop artists had to take it to another level… enter Dapper Dan with all that fly custom material.
VALIDATED: What does fashion and freedom of expression mean to you?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Fashion makes the world go round. As far back as I can remember we always looked up to the people that had style. To me freedom of expression is everything. Everyone has their own sense of fashion, just let them be great.
VALIDATED: What advice would you give to someone looking to start a clothing line?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Don’t take any shortcuts. Put your heart in it, you can’t go wrong if you give it 100%.
VALIDATED: What’s your best selling piece and why do you think that particular piece has been so successful?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Right now the “I the old NY.” I would say because a lot of people can relate to this statement, even if you aren’t from “the old NY” it’s always been glorified in movies, songs, etc.
VALIDATED: For the out of towners and younger generation, what's the significance of the old New York?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Ahh man, it’s just me paying homage to an era that I came up under. Every week was something new with the music, Fashion that is still relevant today. My favorite era in the old NY was ‘86 - ’98. Everything was original and every Borough had their own stamp.
VALIDATED: What can we expect from “Classic Material” in 2023?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: We’re going to keep bringing you that official flyness that you expect from us!!
VALIDATED: What’s your social media contacts and website?
CLASSIC MATERIAL: Instagram @classicmaterialny and website